Surprise Birthday Party

50 is the new 30.

My husband, Dave, and me at my surprise party.

My birthday was today.  I turned 50 and according to the poster on the wall at work, 50 is the new 30.

I had a great day at work full of gifts (I got a new bar book from Jim, can you say drink of the week?) food (we had cheesecake, chocolate walnut torte, lemon thyme cake, frog eye salad, a sweet cranberry and walnut braid, and fresh fruit.

Food  outside my office, presents inside my office.

There was yellow "Warning 50th birthday" tape all over and sunglasses and a tiara with pink feathers and signs in the hall.  It was all wonderful and fun.  It was a fun, fat fiftieth birthday.

Then my husband picked me up from work and we went out for a quiet dinner together.  We arrived at LaVelle's, my favorite, I was counting on a great glass of champagne and a blue cheese risotto pancake.  Dave gave his name and the Matre´ De said, "I'm sorry, your reservations were for yesterday. Let me see if I can fit you in."  I was thinking, "Crap, now I have to sit at one of those tall tables and stools where my feet don't even touch the ground.  He left to go check on the seating.  When he returned he said he could seat us, grabbed the menus and let us to our seats.  When we turned the corner, there were 45 or so of my friends shouting "Surprise!"  Boy, was I surprised!  Dave had planned this surprise party and pulled it off without me knowing!  I was overwhelmed.  Friends we has just had dinner with on Sunday and never said anything,  my niece, who I had visited with for about 15 minutes earlier, never said anything.  My boss, with whom I had a meeting with that day, never said anything.  All my suite-mates I work with all day, never said anything...and there they all were!

LaVelle's with friends for my birthday party.

The one gift I asked for was ground beef for our food bank.  I was gifted with well over 60 lbs of ground beef, and $50 donation in my name to the food bank.

I am so blessed to have wonderful friends and a family that loves me.  Thank you to everyone who came to the party, who helped my husband cover his tracks, who gave gifts of ground beef, even when they couldn't "get their heads around that" and the people who put up with me every day at work.  I can't think of a better way to start the second 50 years of my life.

January 5, 2012      Daylight  4 hours, 13 minutes, 31 seconds     Current Temp. -11º F